The central theme of the Carcinogensis (CA) Program is to investigate molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying cancer initiation and progression, with the goal of applying the knowledge gained to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer. Focus areas include various aspects of DNA damage response, viral carcinogenesis, and cancer modeling. Program Membership: During the past six years, the membership of this Program has undergone some significant changes. These changes have been the consequence of a variety of factors. One factor was the transfer of Program Members to either aid existing Programs (e.g., Dr. Waterman to become Co-Leader of the Growth Factors &Signaling Program) or establish new Programs (e.g., Dr. Nalcioglu to become Co- Leader of the Onco-lmaging &Spectroscopy Program). Another factor was the decision in late 2006 to disband the Virology Program and incorporate those members working on aspects of viral carcinogenesis into the Carcinogenesis Program. These factors, as well as other faculty turnover, have resulted in the addition of 17 new faculty for a total Membership of 28 full Members. This compares to a membership of 20 full Members in 2002. Currently, the membership is spread over 13 Departments within the Schools of Medicine, Biological Sciences, and Physical Sciences. The Cancer Center has significantly supported the recruitment of several new Members over the past funding period. These include Hans-Ulrich Bernard, Eva Lee, and Dominik Wodarz. It is to be noted that two Members, Ingrid Ruf and Dominik Wodarz, were recruited to UCI through FTEs that were provided to the Cancer Center by the main campus. A very recent recruit is Sergei Grando, a senior and well-funded investigator who brings expertise in nitrosamine-initiated carcinogenesis. The CA Program has 28 Members representing 12 Departments and three Schools, and has $5,910,891 in direct cancer-related peer-reviewed funding, 10 projects of which are funded by NCI for a direct total of $3,025,379. In 2007, Members published a total of 74 publications with 48 of those being cancer-related of which 25% were inter- and 8% were intra-related.